Nigeria in 1998

Capital: Abuja; judiciary and some ministries remain in Lagos, the former capital

Head of state and government: Chairmen of the Provisional Ruling Council Gen. Sani Abacha and, from June 9, Gen. Abdulsalam Abubakar

At the beginning of 1998, Nigeria teetered on a precipice. Gen. Sani Abacha, the country’s head of state, maintained his iron grip on the government. The regime continued to arrest potential rivals and activists calling for democratic reforms, including former chief of general staff Lieut. Gen. Oladipo Diya and more than 20 others for allegedly planning a coup. To deflect growing opposition Abacha announced that democratic elections would be held on August 1. International observers and democracy activists in Nigeria denounced the proposal, noting that Abacha intended to remain in office by holding noncompetitive elections. The Nigerian government also tried to divert criticism by intervening in other West African countries. In February Nigerian troops routed a military-led rebel government in Sierra Leone and restored its exiled president, Ahmad Tejan Kabbah.

Economic woes reflected and contributed to political instability and repression. Nigeria’s currency, the naira, plummeted, which required the government to intervene in foreign exchange markets. The country also suffered constant fuel, electricity, and water shortages. In response the government halted its public-investment program, which was intended to reduce unemployment and poverty as well as reverse the collapse of education and health systems. The government instead poured money into Abacha’s upcoming presidential campaign.

With no real reform in sight, anti-Abacha opposition intensified. A new opposition party emerged, the United Action for Democracy (UAD), which comprised 26 human rights and pro-democracy groups. The UAD called for a popular democratic government, the immediate and unconditional release of political prisoners, and the immediate transfer of power from the military to a transitional government of national unity. The UAD insisted that the new government be headed by jailed leader Chief Moshood Abiola, the undeclared winner of the annulled presidential elections held in 1993. On March 3 the UAD organized a march in Lagos that was broken up by police using tear gas and clubs.

At the end of April, Abacha took stronger measures to solidify his hold on power. General Diya and five others were sentenced to death, and the government stepped up its public relations campaign. Army officers were forced to wear Abacha lapel pins, and the presidential campaign handed out discounted television sets and sacks of rice. Abacha also arranged for the country’s five legal political parties to endorse him as the sole presidential candidate. This maneuver prompted the vast majority of Nigerians to boycott elections for a national assembly. In May violent antigovernment protests broke out in Ibadan, Nigeria’s second largest city, and 38 activists were arrested.

On June 8 Abacha suddenly died of an apparent heart attack. (See OBITUARIES.) He was replaced by his chief of defense staff, Gen. Abdulsalam Abubakar. (See BIOGRAPHIES.) Opposition leaders called for the regime to install Abiola as president of a transitional government. Instead, Abubakar released nine prominent political prisoners, including former head of state Gen. Olusegun Obasanjo, but Abiola remained behind bars, and his health deteriorated rapidly. Several weeks later Abiola died, and violent demonstrations erupted in his native southwestern Nigeria. (SeeObituaries.)

Abubakar implemented some important reforms. By the end of July, he had released scores of political prisoners and promised to disband the five parties set up by Abacha. He also announced that the military regime would hand over power to an elected government in May 1999 in "free and fair" elections. The presidential elections were set for February 1999.

On October 17 a leaking state-owned gasoline pipeline exploded in the town of Jesse, and the resulting fireball killed at least 700 people. (SeeDisasters.)

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